Trigger safety latch for firearms



April 11, 1961 J, T |VY 2,978,826

TRIGGER SAFETY LATCH FOR FIREARMS Filed Oct. 28, 1958 TTENE YS *AmrefUnited States Patent-f6) 27,918,826Y TRIGGER SAFETYLATCHlrorz.FnusARr/rs Jessie T. Ivy, 523 HendersonfSt., Seattle, Wash.

' Fired oct. 2s, 195s, ser. Ne. 0,196

This invention relates totsafietylatchesTasfappliedl rifles, revolversand the like, to prevent accidental tiring. 'More particularly, itpertains tosafety latches that are directly associated with the triggerand the-pistol grip or vhand grip portion of a rifle, revolver or thelike. l

The present application is a continuation in part of co-pendingapplicationfiled on November 15,1957, under Y Serial No. 696,738,

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a practical,effective and novel Ysafetylatch mechanism whereby accidental tiring ofthe fille or fire arm to, which -it is applied, that might be caused bya blow orforce a safety latch mechanism contained by the pistol grip andwhich can only be released `by the application of pressure against it ina directionopposite to the direction of pull applied to the trigger forfiring. l

Further objects and advantages of the invention reside in the details ofconstruction and combination of its parts and in their mode ofoperation, as will lhereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing the above mentioned and other objects of the invention,I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferredforms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the pistol grip and trigger guard portion of arifle, or the like with parts broken away or shown in section toillustrate the application of the present safety latch mechanismthereto; the latch mechanism here being shown in normal latchedposition.

Fig. 2 `is a similar view showing the pistol grip latch in thatdepressed and released position that permits the trigger to be pulledfor firing the rifle.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken through the pistol grip on the line 3-3in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail, taken on line 4--4 in Fig. 1,showing'details `of the pistol grip latch mounting.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the sliding latch block of the latchmechanism.

'Referring more in detail to the drawings:

In these views, designates that portion of the wood stock of a rifle towhich a trigger guard 11 and a pistol grip, which is herein designatedin its entirety by reference numeral 12, are attached. The pistol grip,as here shown may be like or similar to that 'disclosed in my U.S.Patent No. 2,832,166 issued on April 29, 1958.

As here shown, the pistol grip comprises a one-piece frame member 12f ofthe usual pistol grip shape, provided with a body chamber 13 ofsubstantial size in which the latch mechanism embodied by thisinvention, is contained; this chamber being closed at its opposite sidesby knurled or otherwise decorated plates 14-14 that may be secured inplace by the usual application of screws, such as that shown at 15 inFig. 3 which extends through chamber13 approximately at its center.

It is to be observed that `the upper and forward portion of the pistolgrip4 frame 12j is fitted to the curvature of the rearward end portionof the trigger guard; the trigger guard being formed at that end with arearwardly proh jecting part terminating in a head 16j that is fitted ina socket 17 formed in the top and forwardfedge portion of the frame 12]to receive it. It is preferred, in this assembly of parts, that thejointgbetween the fitted edges of the trigger guard and pistol gripframe be covered, at each side, by fittings such as that shown at 19 inFig. 7; thesevttings being secured in place byV screws, as indicated at20, and the top ,edgesof the plates 14 being fitted thereto., I

In the present illustrations, 25 designates the trigger by which therifle is red. This may be mounted in the rifle frame in any practicalmanner with its lower end extended into the trigger guard. The triggermust be pulled rearwardly as from the normal position in which it isshown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 to the full line position, for ring therifle.

Formed through that forward portion of the pistol grip frame 12f that istted to the trigger guard, is a bore 28 which'is in axial alignment witha continuing bore 29 in i the rear portion of the trigger guard. A pin30 is slidably fitted in these bores, 28 and 29, with itsV forward endengaged against the back side of the lower end portion of the trigger 25and its rearward end portion extended well into the upper end portion ofthe chamber 13 of the pistol grip frame where it is contained within achannel 31 formed in an arm 32 that extends upwardly from a forwardlyand rearwardly movable latch block 32. A nut 34, that is adjustablythreaded onto the pin 30 engages against the front face of the block arm32.

The block 32 is normally held in the position shown in Fig. l by thepresent hand grip latch lever 35 which is shown to be mounted in thelower end portion of the pistol grip chamber 13. At its lower end thelatch lever v35 is pivotally mounted by a supporting pin 36 on which itswings forwardly and rearwardly at its upper end. Be'- tween its ends,this lever is formed with a rearwardly pro# jecting press portion 35xthat is contained in and projects through and rearwardly from a slot 38formed in the rear edge member of the pistol grip frame 12f. Nrmally,the press portion 35x projects to the extent shown in Fig. 1, and whenthe lever is in this position, the upper end' portion of the lever abutsagainst the under surface of a rearward end portion 32a of the latchblock 32 and thus retains the block in its forward position. A leafspring 40, that is attached to the lower end portion of the latch lever35, extends upwardly along the latch lever and is then curved forwardlyto bear against the bolt 15, thus to yieldingly hold lever 35 in thelatch block locking position of Fig. l. The normal position of the block32 is that in which it is shown in Fig. l. When in that position, thepin 30 engages -rmly at its forward end against the lower end portion ofthe trigger and positively prevents its being pulled or being actuatedby any blow that would result in firing the rifle should if be loadedand cocked for firing. l l

It is to be observed also by reference to Fig. l that the latch block32, when in locked position is supported at its forward end upon arearwardly and downwardly curving portion of frame 12f with its forwardend surface abutted against a at surface of the chamber wall thus tolimit the forward movement of the block. The rear end portion of theblock has a top surface 322, as shown in Fig. S, that is slidable alongan opposedly facing surface of the chamber 13. It is also to be observedin Fig. 1 that the .under surface `32a of the rear end portion-of block32 is upwardly and rearwardly curved and is engaged by a surface 35e atthe upper end of lever 35 that is curved about the axis of pivot `pin36. Thevblock 32 is `urged forwardly at all times by "a small'coilvspring 44 that has its end portions contained in sockets 45 and 46formed in the rear face of the arm- 32' of the block andtheopposedlyrelated face of the chamber 13. i

The pin 30, as contained in the bores 2S'and 29 and also in channel 31of the upwardlyextended arm 32' of the block has the nut `34 threaded`thereon and so adjusted against the forward face ofthe arm 132 todispose the forward end of the pinraganstthe backside of Athe trigger.This adjustmentis `then secured* byta lock nut 49 that istightenedlagainstnut'34.

With the latchV parts in the positions shown in Fig. 1, the trigger`25eannot be lpulled rearwardly to tiring'position. This can be doneonly when thelatch lever 35 has been actuated to its released positionasseen inl-iig. 2 to disengage it from the latch block.

The significance of placing the latch lever 35 'in the backside of thepistol grip 12 resides in the fact that any object that mightaccidentally strike against it and depress it to a released positionwould not be apt to act in the opposite direction against the trigger 25at the vsame time.

In using the ritie, or any other similar firearm so equipped with thisgrip and safety `latch mechanism, the user, in getting ready to tire,tightens his hand hold about the grip 12 and in doing this depresses thelatch lever 35 to the position shown in Fig. 2, thus disengaging itsupper end from the latch block 32, then when ready to fire, pulls thetrigger. This moves the block v32 tothe position shown in Fig. 2. Theinstant the trigger pull s.released, the coil spring 44 moves the latchblock 32 back to normal position as in Fig. 1, and `with release oftight hold in the grip 12, the latch lever 3S is moved back to its blocklocking position by spring 40.

For assembly purposes, the rear wall of chamber 13 is formed, at alocation aligned with pin 30, with a socket 47 into which the rear endof the pin can be disposed in order that its forward end will notproject from bore 28 and interfere `with the assembling of the frame 12)with the trigger guard. Also, the channel 31, as formed in block32,'opens to a side of the block in order that'the block can be laidinto place after the pin 30 has been placed in position. 4The assemblingof the latch parts within the frame 121 is done before both of thefacing pieces 14 have been placed in position on the frame.

As a detail of construction and method of assembly, the pivot pin 36,which mounts the lower end of latch lever thereon, projects through thelower end of the lever. With the pin so applied to the lever, the leverend is brought into mounting position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Thenwashers 50 are ltted to the ends of the pin and seated in circularlycurved seats 51, ush with .the opposite facesofthe frame 12j. When thefaceplates 14-14 are applied to the frame, they secure the assembly, aswill be understood by reference to Fig. 4.

It is believed that the present invention is unique in its combinationand relationship of parts, and in the fact that the safety mechanism iscontained entirely in the pistol grip portion andrcan Ybe applied to anylirm arm of the common types without requiring any deletion or changein'their operatingparts.

What I claimas newris:

' 1. The combination with a firearm of the character described, having a`'pull l"triggervfor firing it, of a chambered piston grip fixed to`thefrarne immediately rearward of said trigger in position to betightly gripped for firing, by the hand from which the trigger pullingnger extends; a safety latch mechanism for said trigger comprising ablock slidably mounted in the upper end portion of said chambered`pistonV grip for limited movement n-directions from and `toward-thelinger engaging portion of the trigger, yieldable means acting againstsaid block and urging it forwardly, a pin slidably mounted in saidpistol grip in abutting engagement at one end with said block andnormally urged thereby into contact at its other end with the trigger toprevent its being pulled for tiring, a latch lever contained in thelower portion of the chambereid pistol grip and yieldingly pivotallymounted therein `at its klower end Vwith its upper end portion normallyyieldably disposed in the path of rearward movement of said block `as `a`stop therefor and to positively retain said block` and pin in triggerholding position; said-lever having'a pressportion between its endsprojecting rearwardly from thepistol gripwherebysaid leverwill beactuated, -incidentto tightening the hand hold about the pistol grippreparatory to ring, to swing its upper-end portion from holding contactwith said block thus to free the block and pin for rearward movementfofthe trigger for-firing. i

2, The combination Trecited in claim 1 wherein said block is formed witha channel opening laterally from the block in which the rear end portionof said pin may be received and slidably contained and said pin has anut adjustably mounted thereon engageable with the forward end of theblock.

i References Citedin the -file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

